Aiming stake lighting device



Dec. 1, 1959 E. E. RoNGAUs AIMING sIAxE LIGHTING DEVICE Filed Jan. 2. 1957 United States Patent O ice- 2915618 l y n 1 Patented'Dec. Il, 1959 Itransverse partition Y22 having 'a short cylindricalv side wall 23 is in the tube 16 whereby when the tube 16 is inserted over an end of stake 14,- the partition 22 2,915,618 serves as a stop, the socket being formed by the lower AIMING STAKE LIGHTING DEVICE Eugene E. Rongaus, Donora, Pa. Application January 2, 1957, Serial No. 632,074 `1 claim. (cl. 24o-6.4)

This invention relates to an aiming stake and more particularly to an aiming stake which designates the exact stake position during night firing.

An object of the present invention is to provide an aiming stake which is illuminated in such a way as to provide a fine line of light emanating from the stake and visible from the gun position and non-visible from the position opposite the gun, marking clearly the location of the aiming stake. In this way night tiring is more effectively achieved.

A further object of the invention is to provide an illuminated aiming stake which is hooded to prevent exposure to aircraft and which is both weatherproof and shockproof. In this way a safe device is constructed considering safety from two aspects, the irst being from discovery from aircraft and the second being in handling the aiming stake.

A further object of th`e invention is to provide an illuminated aiming stake used for artillery or other re wherein the lighting is capable of being controlled from the stake and also from a remote location, for example, a master battery at a permanent installation or a gun mplacement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a practical attachment for an ordinary aiming stake or for any other stake, the attachment converting the aiming stake or the ordinary stake into an illuminated aiming stake whereby the stake is clearly visible from the gun implacement or position at night time enabling more accurate tire at night.

It is a further general object of the invention to provide such an illuminating aid to firing wherein the illumination is directed in the proper way and carefully hooded and protected from vision from the direction that the weapon is tiring.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of an aiming stake made in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the accompanying drawing there is an aiming stake which is constructed in accordance with the invention. This aiming stake is shown as being made of an attachment 12 fitting onto the top of a stake or post 14. The invention may be practiced by having attachments fitting over ordinary aiming stakes, for example, stakes 14 or in connection with some other type of stake 14 or may be practiced by building the features of the invention directly into the stake. Due to practical space limitations one contiguration of the invention is illustrated and it consists of a tube or casing 16 of cylindrical formation and having a top wall 18 and an open bottom end 20 to t over the top of the stake 14. A

extremity of the tube frictionally embracing the stake 14. It is preferred that the stake and the tube 16 having red and white colored stripes to coincide with ordinary practice of aiming stake construction.

A non-conductive insert 26 rests on partition 22, this insert being of rubberor plastic or any equivalent material and having a bulb socket 27 at its upper end. Light bulb 28 is in socket 27 and has a center post in contact with contact strip 30, on one side of which the center pole of battery 32 is touched. The casing of the battery 32 rests on an upwardly protruding tongue l34 of partition 22 so that the tube 16 functions as a ground, much like the flashlight. In fact, the circuit is essentially of a flashlight since the shell of the bulb 28 is grounded by switch 36 and the switch 36 is grounded to the tube and has a switch operator which is moved to an on and off position by touching and being separated from conductor 38 which extends from socket 27.

For local control, switch 36 is used. For remote control the aiming stake may be wired for simultaneous operation with other aiming stakes or for individual operation. In either case the conductor 40 extends from contact 30 and passes through grommet 42 along with a ground wire 44 that is soldered or otherwise connected to tube 16. In this way a remote wet or dry cell battery or some other source of electrical energy may be used in place of the dry cell battery or batteries 32. For remote control, partition 22 which is only frictionally held in place by short wall 23 contacting the inner surface of casing 16 is removed and battery 32 is removed. Switch 36 is closed, and battery 32 or some suitable electric source is connected to wires 40 and 44, either or both of which may have a conventional switch anywhere along the length thereof to control the energization of light bulb 28.

Dry cell battery or batteries 32 are tted in the battery bore 50 in insert 26. Contact 30 protrudes transversely across the bore at the upper extremity thereof and slightly below the socket 27 so that upon screwing the bulb 28 in place the center post thereof touches the contact 30. This automatically .positions the light bulb in light chamber 52. The light chamber extends from vthe top of insert 26 to the top wall 18 and is defined by the cylindrical side wall of the tube 16 above insert 26. A slot 54 extends along the side wall of the light chamber 52 and when the light bulb 28 is energized a iine line of illumination is visible from one side of the aiming stake. An upper hood 46 is carried by the tube 16 and deflects the light downward, that is, what little light actually passes through the slot 54 and more important, prevents discovery of the aiming stake from above.

In operation the aiming stake is used exactly like any ordinary aiming stake with the exception that there is provision for illumination through the slot 54. The illumination may be individually controlled for each aiming stake, as by use of switch 36 or may be controlled from a remote location by an external circuit operatively connected with the conductors 44 and 40.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

An illuminated aiming stake comprising a stake, a

fhollow electrically vconductive casing attached to said stake and having an illumination chamber, a battery holding insert of insulating material and tted in said casing, a conductive partition in said casing and conlamp socket carried by said transverse wall yand ,supporting a lamp within said illumination chamber, said, casing ,-having an opening through which light rays from the lamp may pass, said opening located in aside wall of :said-casing, a hood carried by said casing and protruding laterally from said side wall of said c asing and vvabove .said opening to shield the opening from inspectionfrom a position above the casing, an electrical circuit for selectivelyfenergizing the lamp at the aiming stake or at a position remote from the aiming stake, -said relectrical circuit including a switch carried by said casing,la conductor extending from said switch to said socket with the center contact of the lamp `adapted to operatively connect with the battery in the battery holding insert and said conductive casing and partition constituting a ground path for the battery and lamp, an electrical conductor in said insert and adapted .to touch the center contact of the lamp, a wire extendingfrom the last mentioned conductor and a wire extendingrfromfsaid casing to a remote location at which it may connect to an additional source of electrical potential.

References Cited inthe ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

